
Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/212916.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Harry_Potter_-_J._K._Rowling
  Relationship:
      Harry_Potter/Severus_Snape
  Character:
      Harry_Potter, Hermione_Granger, Minerva_McGonagall, Severus_Snape
  Collections:
      Snarry-A-Thon
  Stats:
      Published: 2011-06-18 Words: 7843
****** Time's Boomerang ******
by centaury_squill
Summary
     Prompt: Takes place during Harry's 3rd year. When Hermione tries to
     turn the hourglass on the Time-Turner, they're unexpectedly disturbed
     by a student barging into the infirmary. Hermione loses her grip on
     the Time-Turner and by the time she and Harry finally catch it again,
     they're spinning back through time where they land in the entrance
     hall in front of seventh year student and loyal deatheater wannabe,
     Severus Snape.
Notes
     Written for Snarry-a-thon 2010. Contains quotations from Harry Potter
     and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
The first hint that something was wrong came as they emerged from their dizzy
spin through time to see snow blowing in at the open doorway of the castle.
"I thought we were only supposed to go back three hours!" Harry said
accusingly, staring at the hourglass they clutched between them by its fine
gold chain. "This looks more like six months!"
Hermione's voice was a frightened squeak. "I think it's longer than that,
Harry."
"What do you –" Harry began. Then he followed Hermione's pointing finger to the
skinny teenage boy glaring suspiciously at them from across the Entrance Hall,
and stopped in amazement.
The teenager was taller than they were, probably in his sixth or seventh year.
But his features were unmistakable; they'd seen him glaring in just that way
too many times over their three years at Hogwarts to be in any doubt.
It was Severus Snape.

A few minutes earlier/seventeen years later
"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, "is more time."
"But –" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"
"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly.
"Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor.
Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will
be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of
you. You must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law – you know what is at
stake... you – must – not – be – seen."
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel
and looked back as he reached the door.
"I am going to lock you in. It is –" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to
midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."
"Good luck?" Harry repeated, as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three
turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"
"He means us to go back in time," Hermione said, fumbling with the neck of her
robes. "Three turns'll take us back three hours."
She pulled a very long, very fine gold chain from beneath her robes. Hanging on
it was a tiny, glittering hourglass.
"A Time-Turner," she said. "It's how I've been getting to all my lessons this
year. I had to promise not to use it for anything else." She held out the
hourglass on its chain. "Harry, come here: we both need to be touching it.
Quick!"
Still puzzled, Harry began to walk towards Hermione, but before he could reach
her the door leading to Madam Pomfrey's office crashed open and Colin Creevey
burst in.
"Harry! Are you OK, Harry? I've been looking for you everywhere. People're
saying – oops!" – and he banged into Hermione, knocking the Time-Turner out of
her hands as she started to throw its chain over Harry's head.
It flew high into the air, gold chain flashing as it turned in the late
afternoon sun, tiny hourglass spinning impossibly fast, and hung above them for
a heart-stopping moment. Then it fell back towards them, hourglass still
spinning crazily. Both Harry and Hermione reached out to catch it...
                                     XxXxX
Severus Snape slouched across the Entrance Hall, scowling to hide his pain.
He'd been looking forward to this Christmas at Hogwarts as a time of peace –
hardly any students staying behind, himself the only Slytherin – but now
everything felt spoiled. Minutes before, that turd James Potter had strutted
past, his arm round Lily's shoulders, and boasted that she was spending
Christmas with him – "So think of us while you wank in your lonely dorm,
Snivellus!"
And then they were leaving, off through the front doors on their way to catch
the Hogwarts Express. Lily glanced back once, with what might have been apology
in her eyes, and they were gone. Potter couldn't even be arsed to close the
doors behind him; snow whirled into the Entrance Hall, blown by icy gusts of
wind.
Severus blinked. He was sure he'd been alone, yet there were two youngsters
gawping at him across the Hall. Had they just come in through the open doors?
He didn't remember seeing them before, but then he didn't have much to do with
the younger kids, and these two certainly weren't Slytherins: a bushy-haired
girl, looking like the worst kind of keen Ravenclaw, and...
Severus froze. No! It wasn't possible. How had he done it? And Lily, how could
she have helped the bastard play this trick on him?
"Very funny, Potter. How have you managed to look like Lily as well?
Polyjuice?" he spat. He seized the boy by the throat and shook him, giving vent
to all his hurt and betrayal and pain, as Potter's face turned red and Lily's
eyes stared up at him accusingly.
The girl was seizing his arm, trying to stop him.
"Pr- S- Snape –! Please! He can't breathe!"
Severus gave the boy's throat a final vicious squeeze and let go, breathing
heavily. He was dimly aware that the girl was still speaking, her voice shrill
and frightened.
"...honestly, we're not Polyjuiced or anything... must get back before anyone
else sees us... please help..."
He looked from her to the boy, whose green eyes glared back angrily, and made
up his mind.
"Come with me to the Slytherin common room, then. If you are Polyjuiced, I'll
know it in an hour."
                                     XxXxX
Hermione sat tensely on the edge of an elaborately carved chair, watching
Severus Snape's face. He hadn't taken his eyes off them since he'd marched
herself and Harry in here nearly an hour ago. To her relief, the Slytherin
common room was deserted; they sat, its sole occupants, in front of a crackling
fire. Nobody spoke.
Snape constantly glanced from one to the other, obviously waiting for them to
turn back into James Potter and... who did he think she was? Sirius Black, most
likely. Hermione bit her lip. From what the adult Snape had said – would say
(oh, this was so confusing!) he and Sirius Black hated each other. And since
this Snape looked to be in his seventh year, Sirius must already have played
his nearly-fatal trick on him.
She and Harry would have to be careful. They mustn't tell Snape everything. In
particular, they couldn't tell him the reason they were trying to travel three
hours back in time; that they were trying to rescue Sirius from the Dementor's
kiss. But they'd have to tell him part of the truth at least, if they hoped to
persuade him to help them return to their own time.
Snape was starting to look confused as well as suspicious. His black eyes
darted down to his wristwatch, then back to Harry and Hermione. His voice was
uncertain as he said, "So how are you doing it, Potter?"
"I'm not doing anything," said Harry, annoyed.
Hermione caught the momentary flash of triumph in Snape's eyes and broke in
quickly, "This is Harry Potter. Not James. And I'm Hermione Granger."
Snape stared at her. "Harry Potter? Is he some relation of James's?"
"Yeah, you could say that," Harry said. He raised his eyebrows at Hermione. She
sighed, pulled the Time-Turner from under her robes and held it out to Snape.
"We're from the future," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "This was only
supposed to take us back a few hours, but there was an accident. We travelled
further in time than we should have. And we have to get home!"
Snape's eyes narrowed. "How much further, exactly? Months? Years?" He held out
his hand, and after a moment's hesitation Hermione put the tiny hourglass onto
his palm. Snape examined it carefully.
"Please," Hermione said, sounding panicky, "please help us. Horrible things can
happen if people meddle with time. We have to get back!"
Snape looked up from his scrutiny of the Time-Turner. "I know of a very
powerful wizard who might be able to help," he said, and his dark eyes lost
their suspicious expression for a moment and shone with hero-worship.
"Do you mean Professor Dumbledore?" asked Harry.
"Dumbledore!" Snape spat scornfully. "Not bloody likely."
Hermione's jaw dropped as she realised who Snape probably meant. She
frantically signalled to Harry to keep quiet. Fortunately Snape didn't see her;
he was again looking at his watch.
"It's time for supper," he said. "I'd better go, they'll ask questions if I
don't." He tossed the Time-Turner at Hermione and got up. "You'd better stay
here, keep out of sight."
"Bring us back some food?" Harry said hopefully, reminded of just how hungry he
was by a sudden growl from his stomach.
Snape sneered at him and went out, slamming the common room door behind him. As
soon as he'd gone, Harry turned to Hermione.
"What were you pulling faces at me for?"
Hermione tutted. "Didn't you get it? – I know of a very powerful wizard who
might be able to help – Harry, he was talking about Voldemort!"
                                     XxXxX
Harry stared at her. "What makes you think that?"
Hermione had that maddening look of superiority on her face. "Well, who else
could it be?"
"Loads of people," Harry muttered. To his surprise, he'd felt a strange
affinity with Snape-the-teenager which he'd certainly never had with the adult
Snape; he didn't like to think of him as a Voldemort supporter in the making.
He jumped up from his chair. "C'mon, I'm hungry. If we sneak into the Great
Hall we can grab some food without anyone noticing us."
Hermione stood up slowly, looking reluctant. "We mustn't be seen!" she said.
"Though maybe if we use your Invisibility Cloak..."
Harry searched through his pockets; his face fell. "Oh no, I don't believe
it... I must've left it in the Shrieking Shack."
Hermione made to sit down again, but Harry grabbed her arm. "Come on, Hermione,
I'm starving."
They crept out of the Slytherin common room and made their way up to the
Entrance Hall, but the moment they peeped into the Great Hall they realised
that they were out of luck. As with their last Hogwarts Christmas, now years in
the future, so few students had stayed for the holidays that there was only a
single table in use, in the very centre of the room. Without Harry's
Invisibility Cloak they had no chance whatsoever of sneaking up to it
unobserved. They lurked for a moment in the shadowy doorway, watching the
people around the table.
Harry recognised Professor Dumbledore, looking much the same as ever, chatting
to a slightly younger looking Professor McGonagall. Then came a couple of
adults he'd never seen before, and next to them – Harry grinned – the
unmistakable giant form of Hagrid, his black bushy beard even wilder than the
last time Harry'd seen him. At the other side of the table sat four students
about Harry's age, and on his own at the end was Snape, looking gawky and out
of place. Everyone was chatting cheerfully apart from him. As Harry watched, he
saw Dumbledore offer a platterful of mince pies to the youngsters with a cheery
smile. He totally ignored Snape, who scowled down at his plate. Harry glanced
at Hermione to see if she'd noticed, but she was looking at Professor
McGonagall with a slight frown, as if trying to work out a tricky problem in
class.
Finally, Hermione gave a tiny shrug, grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him out of
the Great Hall.
"We'd better go back to the Slytherin common room," she whispered, "and hope
Snape bothers to sneak some food out for us."
                                     XxXxX
They waited in the common room for what seemed like hours to Harry; his stomach
wouldn't stop rumbling. Eventually the door swung open and Snape marched in,
carrying a huge plate piled high with sandwiches and mince pies.
"I nicked some stuff from the kitchen," he said, putting it down on a low table
near the fire.
"Cheers, mate," Harry said without thinking, stretching out his hand for a
sandwich.
Snape gave him an odd look, but didn't reply. He went over to an ornately
carved sideboard and came back with a flagon and three silver goblets.
"So, how far back have you two travelled?" he asked, pouring pumpkin juice.
Harry's mouth was full of turkey sandwich. He chewed hard and swallowed, but
Hermione beat him to it.
"What year is this?" she asked cautiously.
"1977," Snape said, staring at her. "It's Christmas, 1977. Now answer my
question. What year are you from?"
Harry, who couldn't understand why Hermione was being so cagey, promptly said,
"1994." This earned him a glare from Hermione.
"Seventeen years..." Snape said. "Incredible." He took a long drink of pumpkin
juice, frowning to himself. Then he looked at Hermione. "How did you know my
name?" he shot at her accusingly.
"Er, excuse me?" stammered Hermione.
"In the Entrance Hall. When I –" his glance flickered to Harry for a moment
before he went on, "– when I first saw you, I'm sure you called me Snape."
"No, no – I – er – " Hermione went pink and fell silent.
Snape gave her a very suspicious look but didn't press her. There was an
awkward silence. Harry, demolishing turkey sandwiches at Weasley speed,
suddenly realised that he'd eaten the lot. He looked guiltily at Hermione.
"Oops, sorry, I didn't mean to eat yours too."
Snape got up. "I'll see if I can get the house-elves to make some more," he
said.
"House-elves?" Hermione said sharply. "Hogwarts doesn't employ house-elves,
does it?"
"Of course it does," Snape said. "Always has, always will. Who do you think
does all the cooking and cleaning?" And he stalked out, without giving Hermione
chance to reply. She turned to Harry.
"Did you know that Hogwarts employs house-elves?"
Harry shrugged, and reached for a mince pie.
                                     XxXxX
Severus was frowning as he walked along the dungeon corridors towards the
kitchen. These strangers – were they really from the future? If that little
hourglass thing of theirs was capable of such magic, the Dark Lord would reward
him handsomely for... acquiring... it for him. But if it proved to be a hoax,
the Dark Lord would not be pleased... Severus shuddered. He'd better find out
more, first. If he befriended the pair... or one of them...
Not the girl. She'd annoyed him from the first. And she was obviously a
Mudblood. Fancy not knowing about Hogwarts house-elves! And why look so
indignant about it, anyway?
The boy, then. What had he said his name was? Ah, Harry. Looking like, but
unlike, James Potter, and with Lily Evans's eyes... if he really was from the
future... Severus hastily shied away from the implications of that.
There was something else about him, too... something which reminded Severus of
his own young self during his first years at Hogwarts. The way he'd wolfed down
those sandwiches as if accustomed to not knowing where his next meal was coming
from. His skinny body, and air of insecurity. A far cry from James Potter's
pampered sleekness, his casual assumption of superiority...
His angry thoughts about James Potter stuttered to a halt as he reached the
pear picture hiding the entrance to the kitchen. Time to sweet-talk the house-
elves into giving him some goodies. Maybe that would help win Harry's
confidence...
                                     XxXxX
Harry and Hermione were in the middle of an argument.
"I don't know why you're sticking up for him all of a sudden," Hermione said.
"For the past two years I'm the one who's said that Professor Snape isn't all
bad, while you –"
"But he's NOT Professor Snape," Harry interrupted. "He's not much older than
us. And he seems OK."
"Just because he fed you," Hermione said scornfully. "Honestly, Harry, you're
as bad as Ron sometimes."
Harry grinned reluctantly. He didn't know why he felt this affinity between
himself and the teenage Snape, but there was no denying it was there. He said,
"Why've you taken against him, Hermione?"
Hermione tutted. "Didn't you see his face when I showed him the Time-Turner?
Didn't you hear what he said? You could tell he wanted it for Lord Voldemort.
He probably thinks it'll buy his way into the Death Eaters' inner circle, or
something."
"You keep on saying that," Harry snapped, "but I bet you can't prove it."
"Oh, don't be so naive." Hermione got up from her chair. "I'm going to find
someone I can trust."
Harry stood up too, and grabbed her hand. "Not Dumbledore."
Hermione looked at him in surprise. "I thought you liked him."
Harry thought of Dumbledore ignoring the teenage Snape in the Great Hall
earlier. He shrugged. "I – I'm not sure."
"Anyway, I wasn't thinking of him."
"Who, then?"
Hermione pulled her hand free of Harry's. "Professor McGonagall. She's the one
who gave me the Time-Turner; she might know enough about it to get us back."
She frowned. "And now I think about it, she was a bit – mysterious – when she
gave it to me. Maybe she knew this would happen."
Harry groaned. "Just thinking about all this time stuff makes my head spin." He
sat down again, picked up his goblet of pumpkin juice and took a long drink.
"Come with me, Harry," Hermione said earnestly. "I don't like to think of you
alone with Snape. I wish I hadn't shown him the Time-Turner, now."
"Too late to think of that," Harry said. "Unless your favourite teacher
Lockhart taught you some sneaky Memory charms last year."
Hermione blushed. "Pity he didn't," she muttered.
It was clear to Harry that she'd like to Obviate Snape if she could. "You're
wrong about Snape," he said firmly. "And I'm staying here."
                                     XxXxX
"Where's the Mudblood?" Severus demanded, returning to the common room carrying
a loaded plate.
"Don't call her that," Harry said, glaring at the older boy.
To his surprise, Severus went a dull red, and mumbled something which might
have been an apology. He put the plate down beside Harry; it contained more
turkey sandwiches, sausage rolls, and a large piece of Christmas cake.
"Hermione's gone to look for Professor McGonagall," Harry went on. "She thinks
she may know something about the Time-Turner." He watched Severus closely; this
information should worry him if Hermione's suspicions were correct.
But Severus seemed unconcerned. He picked up a knife from the side of the plate
and began cutting the Christmas cake into slices. "All the more for us, then."
He handed a piece to Harry. "I'm right though, aren't I? She's Muggleborn?
Fancy not knowing about Hogwarts house-elves!"
"No reason why she should," said Harry, annoyed. He broke a piece of marzipan
off his slice of cake and popped it in his mouth. "I didn't even know there
were such things as house-elves until last year," he said indistinctly.
Severus' shoulder twitched irritably. "How come? If you're a relative of James
Potter's, you can't be a Mud- sorry, Muggleborn."
"I was brought up by Muggles," Harry said. "And they hate wizards. Uncle Vernon
even tried to stop me coming to Hogwarts. And Aunt Petunia –"
He heard a strangled sort of gasp, and glanced at the boy beside him. Severus
was staring at him, a strange look on his face.
"Petunia Evans? Lily's sister?"
It was Harry's turn to stare. "Yeah. How did you know?"
Severus scowled at him, as if Harry were a complicated Arithmancy problem he'd
just worked out and didn't much like the answer. He said slowly, "I've known
Petunia Evans most of my life. She's a complete bitch."
                                     XxXxX
It took Hermione some time to find the way to Professor McGonagall's rooms.
First she walked cautiously down the corridor leading from the Slytherin common
room, hiding behind a pillar every time she heard a noise, for she did not want
to meet Snape on his way back from the kitchens. Then she got lost in the
twisting maze of underground passages, all seeming alike. At last she found
herself back in the deserted Entrance Hall, and breathed a sigh of relief. She
knew the way from here.
It was only when she was already knocking on the office door that Hermione had
the unwelcome thought that perhaps Professor McGonagall did not occupy these
rooms in this time. She had a heart-stopping moment of anxiety before she heard
the familiar Scottish tones call briskly, "Enter!"
Hermione shivered as she obeyed, partly with cold – her light summer robes
weren't much protection against the icy draughts which blew along the castle's
corridors in winter – but also with apprehension. She closed the door behind
her and took a deep breath.
"Er, Professor McGonagall – I need your help."
Professor McGonagall looked at her in surprise. "I'm sorry, my dear, but I
don't recognise you. You're not one of my Gryffindors, are you."
"Yes – yes, I am. Or rather, I will be. In about fifteen years' time."
She took in Professor McGonagall's expression, and hurried on, "Honestly, it's
not a joke. There was an accident – with this."
And she pulled the Time-Turner from beneath her robes and held it out to the
startled professor.
                                     XxXxX
Harry followed Severus out of the common room and along the narrow passageway
leading to the Slytherin dormitories. Both boys were quiet, lost in thought.
Severus hadn't asked any more about Harry's family; it was almost as though he
was afraid of what he might learn. And Harry hadn't liked to ask the question
foremost in his thoughts: how well did Severus know Harry's mum? They'd spent
the rest of the evening silently staring into the fire. At last Severus had
said that it was getting late, they'd better go to bed before the house-elves
came in to tidy the common room and make up the fire.
"You can have Rosier's bed, that one over by the window," Severus said when
they reached his dormitory.
"Window?" Harry asked. "I thought we were underground."
"We're under the lake," said Severus, preparing to draw the curtains round his
four-poster. "You'll see it tomorrow, when it's light."
And sure enough, the next morning Harry awoke to a strange green light flooding
into the room through the window. He slipped out of bed and pressed his nose
against the glass. He could see the water of the lake, hazy and murky at this
depth; a long tentacle rapped on the glass, making him jump.
"That'll be the Giant Squid. We get the Merpeople looking in at us sometimes
too, pulling faces and threatening us with their spears."
Harry looked round. Severus had pulled back his curtains and was sitting on the
side of his bed watching him.
"Blimey. Aren't you afraid of the glass breaking?"
Severus gave a contemptuous snort. "Of course not. Protective spells all over
it. Look!" And he picked his wand up from his bedside table and pointed it at
the window.
Harry barely had time to duck before a spell sizzled past him and struck the
glass. The whole window glowed a dull red for a moment but was otherwise
unaffected.
"See?" Severus said offhandedly, returning his wand to the bedside table. "That
spell would've shattered any ordinary window."
Harry believed him. He'd felt the power of the spell as it passed him; for a
moment he had a weird vision of a room full of Slytherins firing curses at each
other and hitting the window instead. He grinned, looking down so Severus
wouldn't see. The sight of the grubby T shirt and underpants he had on reminded
him that he didn't have much to wear.
"I say," he said diffidently, "could you lend me some clothes?"
Severus eyed him for a moment then jumped off his bed and hauled a battered
school trunk from underneath. He kept the lid half closed so Harry only got a
glimpse inside, but he could tell that Severus was as badly-off for possessions
as he was himself. However, the older boy produced a baggy pair of jeans, a
green sweater with the Slytherin crest of silver snakes worked into the left
side of the chest, some underwear, and a grey nightshirt. He tossed the bundle
of clothes over to Harry.
"Wait for me in the common room," he said, and went off carrying his own
clothes, presumably heading for the bathroom.
Harry looked thoughtfully at the clothes. The green sweater could almost have
been the one Mrs Weasley knitted for him his first Christmas at Hogwarts, apart
from the Slytherin snakes. He felt a pang. When would he see his own time
again?
                                     XxXxX
When Harry eventually entered the common room, Severus had gone to breakfast,
but Hermione was there, wearing a tartan cloak. He could see the gold chain of
the Time-Turner flash against her throat as she turned towards him. He suddenly
had what seemed like a brilliant idea.
"Hermione, I've just thought. Maybe I could warn – them – never to trust Peter
Pettigrew as their Secret Keeper! What d'you reckon?"
Hermione looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I don't think it would
work. Even if they believed you, they'd forget all about it when you'd gone."
She took a deep breath. "Professor McGonagall explained that's one of the
effects of travelling back in time as far as we have. She says it's all
governed by something called, um, Margolian's Coefficient of Magical
Restitution. I didn't really understand most of it –"
"It must be seriously complicated, then!" said Harry.
"Oh, it is. Apparently, we'll, um, sort of snap back to where – when – we're
meant to be."
"So when's this snapping back thing supposed to happen?"
"Professor McGonagall says it should have happened already. She thinks there
must be something holding us in this time. She needs to find out what it is
before it's too late."
"And if she can't?"
Hermione's eyes were very big. "Then we'll just vanish. And we won't appear
anywhere. It'll be like we never existed at all."
                                     XxXxX
Hermione could see the shock in Harry's eyes, mirroring her own. But before
they could say any more, the common room door opened and Severus Snape came in,
carrying a tray with a pile of toast, some rashers of bacon and a coffee pot.
He stopped on seeing Hermione, frowned, and banged the tray down on the table
without a word.
Harry glanced at him uncertainly. Severus stalked over to the sideboard and
began rummaging inside its cupboard. Harry sandwiched bacon between slices of
toast and offered some to Hermione, but she shook her head. "No thanks.
Professor McGonagall gave me breakfast before she left."
Severus came back from the sideboard with mugs, and poured coffee. Harry took a
sip, pulled a face. "Is there any sugar?"
Severus gave an exaggerated sigh, but pulled his wand out and flicked it in the
general direction of the sideboard. "Accio sugar!"
An silver blur shot out of the cupboard and skidded onto the table, where it
revealed itself as an ornate silver bowl full of sugar lumps. Elaborately
worked snakes coiled around the rim. As Harry reached into the bowl the snakes
hissed and struck at his fingers.
Annoyed, Harry hissed back. The snakes calmed, stilled. Harry carefully picked
three lumps of sugar out of the bowl and plopped them into his mug. Severus
stared at him, obviously impressed; Hermione frowned when she saw his
expression. The snakes on Harry's borrowed sweater seemed to writhe approvingly
as he leaned forward to pick up a spoon from the tray. He stirred his coffee
nonchalantly, smiling to himself.
Severus noticed Hermione watching, and went red.
"Where's McGonagall gone?" he demanded curtly.
"She, er, she's gone to see a friend about a problem," Hermione said warily,
not wanting to mention the Time-Turner in front of Snape.
Harry had no such inhibition. "Oh, about what's keeping us stuck here? Is this
friend a Time expert, then? Has she any idea what –"
"Only vaguely," Hermione interrupted, with a quick glance at Snape. "Professor
McGonagall said she's hoping to be able to tell us more when she gets back this
evening."
"Oh," Harry said, "not till this evening?" He finished the last of the bacon
sandwiches and took a swig of coffee. "What are we going to do all day?" He
looked at Severus. "Have you got a Wizard chess set, or anything?"
Severus shrugged. "I've got my mum's old Gobstones, if you kids fancy a game."
Hermione stood up. "Not me, I think I'll go and read some of Professor
McGonagall's books," she said, just as Harry exclaimed, with a cocky grin, "OK
Severus, and I bet I beat you!"
As she left the common room she heard Snape saying, in a voice part threat,
part caress, "We'll see about that, Little Snake."
                                     XxXxX
Hermione was so engrossed in Professor McGonagall's copy of Advanced
Transfiguration, it took her some time to realise she was no longer alone. She
looked up, blinking.
"I said, you look as if you're enjoying that." Professor McGonagall sounded
amused.
"Ooh, yes," said Hermione. She looked at her watch. "Golly, is it that time
already?" She put the book down and leaned forward eagerly. "Did you talk to
your friend? Did they have any idea what the problem is with the Time-Turner?"
Professor McGonagall smiled at her. "Possibly," she said. "I do need more
information before I can be sure. Where's your young friend, Harry Potter?"
Hermione's face clouded. "He's in the Slytherin common room with Snape." She
hesitated for a moment, then burst out, "I'm really worried about Harry,
Professor. I think Snape's a bad influence on him."
Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Well, I suppose one can't expect a
Gryffindor and a Slytherin to get on –"
"That's just it," said Hermione. "They're getting on too well."
She was surprised to see Professor McGonagall smile, and nod slightly, as if
this information pleased her. Hermione said hotly, "Harry won't hear a word
against him, but I'm sure Snape's only being nice to Harry so he can get his
hands on our Time-Turner."
"And why would he want to do that?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"For Voldemort!" Hermione said.
Professor McGonagall looked at her thoughtfully, but all she said was, "Well,
Miss Granger, I would like you to go to the Slytherin common room – taking care
not to be seen, of course – and bring them back here for supper."
"Snape as well?" Hermione asked. She felt aggrieved: hadn't the professor been
listening to her?
"Most definitely Snape as well."
Hermione was silently fuming as she made her way back to the Slytherin common
room. As far as she was concerned, the less Snape knew about their predicament
with the Time-Turner, the better. She was sure he meant trouble. And why didn't
Harry share her feeling? Still, maybe after a whole day together, he'd have
realised that Severus Snape wasn't to be trusted.
This hope died as soon as she opened the common room door to the sound of
laughter. Harry and Severus were kneeling in a circle of Gobstones, Harry's
face was dripping in Gobstone goo, and Severus was looking at him with an
intense expression which made Hermione feel deeply uncomfortable without quite
knowing why.
Severus saw Hermione; his face instantly became closed.
"I suppose I'd better go to the Great Hall for supper," he said, slowly getting
to his feet.
"Professor McGonagall's back," said Hermione, "and she's invited us to have
supper in her rooms. You too," she added, looking at Severus with dislike
before whisking out of the room.
She called back over her shoulder, "And, Harry, you'd better clean up your
face."
                                     XxXxX
Professor McGonagall whisked away the used plates and glasses with a tap of her
wand and smiled around at her guests. She'd been discreetly observing them
during the meal, and was pleased to see for herself the rapport between Harry
and Severus which so worried Hermione. She cleared her throat.
"I expect you're all wondering whether I learned anything pertaining to your
problem today. The answer is that I am not sure. My friend is certainly an
expert on the use of Time-Turners, but from what she had to tell me, I'm
surprised that anyone ever dares to use one. They do appear to be rather prone
to error. And such errors can be catastrophic, as I'm sure you must be aware."
Hermione nodded. "You warned me lots of wizards have ended up killing their
past or future selves, when you gave me the Time-Turner." She went pink. "Er,
when you will give me the Time-Turner, I mean. In 1993."
Professor McGonagall gave a wry smile. "Well, at least I warn you to be
careful," she said. "But be that as it may, I think I have an inkling as to why
you remain trapped in this time." Her gaze lingered on Severus Snape for a
moment, then she turned to Harry.
"Miss Granger has already given me her account of the events leading up to the
use of the Time-Turner which brought you here. Now I wish to hear your version.
In particular, I would like you to describe in detail what happened to you when
the Dementors attacked you by the lake."
Severus started at the mention of Dementors. Hermione gave a muffled squeak of
protest, drawing Professor McGonagall's attention.
"Is there anything you wish to say, Miss Granger?"
Hermione looked angrily at Snape. "Professor, are you sure you want him to hear
this – after what I –"
"I am aware of your views on the subject, Miss Granger," said Professor
McGonagall, in such a repressive tone that Hermione subsided, although she
continued to look daggers at Snape.
He got up, swallowing hard, his prominent Adams apple bobbing in his thin neck.
"I don't want to listen to this rubbish anyway."
"Please stay, Severus," Harry said.
Professor McGonagall nodded briskly. "Yes, please stay, Mr Snape."
Severus hesitated.
Professor McGonagall looked at him very seriously. "I am asking you to stay, Mr
Snape, because I believe that, fundamentally, you have Harry's best interests
at heart."
Snape went red, but sat down next to Harry again without further protest.
                                     XxXxX
Harry felt again the icy chill of a hundred Dementors all converging upon him
at once, and shuddered. Severus put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Harry
took a deep breath, and began.
"We – Hermione and me – were down by the lake with my godfather. Everything
went cold – Dementors – loads of them. I tried to cast a Patronus, but it
didn't work properly. I was getting colder and colder –"
He shivered violently; Severus tightened his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry
went on:
"I tried and tried to think of something happy – I thought how I'd be leaving
the Dursleys for good and going to live with my godfather – but I could only
get a thin wisp out of my wand – the Dementors were closing in – I could hear
my mum screaming –"
Here Severus went tense; his hand fell from Harry's shoulder, but he didn't say
anything.
"One of the Dementors lowered its hood – it was vile – it grabbed my throat – I
nearly passed out."
He had to stop again, overcome by the awful memory.
"Then, then, there was this bright silver light, I couldn't hear screaming any
more, it was getting warmer. I could see the Dementors being driven back by
this big shining animal – it was a Patronus – it scared all the Dementors away.
Then it galloped across the lake, I could just see someone on the far bank,
patting it."
"Do you know who it was?" asked Professor McGonagall.
Harry shrugged. "I know it sounds daft," he said. "I know he's dead and
everything – but I thought it looked like my dad."
There was silence for a moment, then Professor McGonagall went on with her
questioning.
"And you say you yourself only managed a thin wisp from your wand on this
occasion?"
Harry nodded.
"Have you ever succeeded in casting a fully-formed Patronus?"
"Yeah, once. When I thought the Dementors had invaded the Quidditch pitch
again. But it turned out they weren't real Dementors, just some tossers playing
a trick."
Professor McGonagall blinked. "What an exciting time the future must be," she
said drily. "Invaded the Quidditch pitch again, you say. Do I take it they had
already done so?"
"Yes, and I couldn't fight them off. I kept hearing Voldemort killing my mum. I
always hear that when a Dementor gets near me."
Severus went white. Professor McGonagall said thoughtfully, "So-o-o-o, although
you are capable of producing a fully-formed Patronus, you are unable to do so
in the presence of Dementors?"
Harry nodded miserably. "That's right. Real Dementors – or even a Boggart
pretending to be a Dementor – and all I get is a silver mist."
"Forgive me if this distresses you, Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall said
kindly. "But it is necessary I ask these questions. Now, can you tell me what
happy memories you use when attempting to cast a Patronus?"
Harry thought for a moment. "I remember trying, um – my first broom ride –
finding out I was a wizard and coming to Hogwarts – that there was a chance I'd
be leaving the Dursleys for good. Nothing worked." He looked rueful. "I guess
none of my memories are happy enough to drive off a hundred Dementors. Or even
one."
There was a long silence. Then Professor McGonagall said, her voice
suspiciously husky, "Thank you, Harry." She pulled a tartan handkerchief from
her robe pocket and blew her nose loudly.
When she spoke again her voice was firm and no-nonsense once more. "Miss
Granger, Mr Potter, if you would please go into the other room for a moment. I
wish to speak to Mr Snape, alone."
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances before doing as she asked. Harry was
strongly tempted to listen at the keyhole and find out what the professor was
saying to Severus, but a glare from Hermione stopped him. It seemed like hours
before the door opened and Professor McGonagall called them back, to dismiss
Harry and Severus to the Slytherin dormitories.
Severus was very quiet on the long walk through the castle's corridors; still
quiet as he got ready for bed and drew the curtains around his four-poster,
hiding his troubled face from Harry's eyes.
                                     XxXxX
Harry sat up in bed, listening to the fading echo of the scream which had
awakened him, unsure if it had come from his own throat, or whether it had been
part of his nightmare. He'd dreamed of his mum's last moments again, of
Voldemort's shrill laugh and his mother's screams... He hugged his knees to his
chest and groaned.
There was the rattle of curtain rings and Severus' voice came from across the
room.
"Harry? Are you all right?"
Harry squeezed his knees tightly, fighting back tears. His words came in little
gasps.
"Nightmare – Voldemort – killing – my mum." He took a deep, ragged breath. "All
that talk – about Dementors –" He snuffled, wiping his face against his
nightshirt sleeve. "Sorry – to be – such a – wimp –"
The creak of a four-poster, bare feet padding across the floor, and Severus was
beside Harry on the bed, arms reaching round him.
"Hush, Little Snake. You're safe with me."
Soothed by the warmth of Severus' body, the kindness in his voice, Harry
relaxed against him, slowly mastering his tears. Severus' fingers grazed
lightly across his wet cheek. Harry released his grip on his knees and
tentatively rested his hands on the older boy's shoulders.
A glow from the window lessened the night-time darkness of the room as luminous
tentacles floated by on the other side of the glass. Waving and wriggling, they
looked like blurred, squirming snakes to Harry. The slithery sibilants of
Parseltongue hissed from his lips; he tightened his grasp on Severus'
shoulders. Severus groaned and moved against him; his lips brushed Harry's.
Harry could feel him trembling.
The Giant Squid floated off into the depths of the lake, darkness returned to
the dormitory, Harry fell silent. Severus pressed his lips more firmly against
Harry's, rolling over so he was straddling the younger boy. Harry could feel
something hard and hot pressing against his stomach through his thin cotton
nightshirt. Severus took Harry's hand in his and guided it downwards, adroitly
twitching up both their nightshirts with his other hand so that Harry found
himself grasping Severus' naked cock.
Harry yelped in surprise; Severus thrust his tongue into his mouth, silencing
him, but then drew back, shaking, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Little Snake. I
didn't mean to frighten you."
"I'm not frightened!" Harry said indignantly. "You just – startled me a bit."
He tightened his hand around Severus' cock and grinned to himself at the moan
the older boy gave.
Severus surged against him, kissing and stroking, and Harry responded, feeling
his whole body tingle; his cock hardened under Severus' touch.
"Severus..." he whispered. "Oh, yes...."
Harry wriggled eagerly under the older boy, he wanted – more, but wasn't quite
sure what to do. Severus fumbled with something on the bedside table for a
moment, then held their bare cocks together between slippery fingers, thrusting
with his hips.
Lips meeting, tongues touching, cocks sliding together, the boys made love.
Harry had never experienced such utter happiness. The luminous tentacles of the
Giant Squid were back at the window, casting a subtle glow over the scene. An
explosive burst of Parseltongue announced Harry's orgasm, celebrated Severus'.
Afterwards, as he drifted contentedly off to sleep, held close in Severus'
arms, Harry thought he heard a quiet whisper.
"I don't want to lose you, Little Snake..."
                                     XxXxX
The next day the aura of satisfied passion around the two boys was almost
palpable; an eyesight far less keen than Professor McGonagall's would have
perceived it. She smiled at them rather sadly.
"It's time for you to leave us, Mr Potter. If I'm not mistaken, you should find
yourself well-armed against Dementors now."
Harry blushed. "Do I have to go?" he asked plaintively. "Can't I stay in this
time, with, with –" He looked at Severus.
Professor McGonagall shook her head. "I'm afraid that's impossible." She
glanced at Hermione, who was looking from Harry to Severus and biting her lip.
"Only one thing remains to be done, and you and Miss Granger will return to
your own time."
Taking a small crystal bottle from her desk, she added, "I must ensure I know
to procure a Time-Turner for Miss Granger at the right moment in the future."
She touched her wand to her temple, withdrew a silvery strand and corked it
away in the bottle. Then she looked at Severus.
"And you, Mr Snape. Is there anything you will wish to recall when the time is
right?"
Severus looked at Harry. "Yes," he said simply. He drew his own wand and
touched it to his forehead, his dark eyes still fixed on Harry. Professor
McGonagall handed him another small crystal bottle. As Severus slowly removed
the wand from his forehead, strands of bright silvery mist, shot through with
gleams of gold, came away with it.
Severus drew a deep breath. "Professor McGonagall?" he said uncertainly.
"Don't worry, Mr Snape," she said, helping him to imprison the mist in the
bottle. "I shall make sure you regain this memory as soon as may be, once these
two have completed their little adventure." Then she looked at Hermione.
"Miss Granger, I still have these rooms in the future, you said?"
When Hermione nodded, Professor McGonagall waved her wand at a portrait of a
goldfish pond above her desk. The fish darted in agitation as it swung
outwards, revealing a small hiding place in the wall. She placed the two
bottles inside, closed the portrait, and turned to Harry and Hermione.
"Put the Time-Turner round both your necks, and – good luck!"
Hermione promptly pulled the little hourglass on its long golden chain from
beneath her robes and threw the chain around Harry's neck. Professor McGonagall
began a series of complicated spells on the portrait, designed to keep her and
Severus' memories safe and reveal them to her at the proper time. She had no
sooner completed the last spell when Harry felt the room begin to spin. He
barely had time for a last exchange of glances with Severus, before he and
Hermione were whirled away.
                                     XxXxX
A confused blur of flickering images and they were back in the hospital wing.
Colin Creevey stood in front of them, his mouth open in surprise. Hermione
muttered something, clutching the hourglass, and they were off again, coming to
rest once more in the Entrance Hall. But this time summer sunshine, not snow,
streamed in through the open front doors, and there was no sign of a teenage
Severus Snape.
Hermione grabbed Harry's arm and hustled him into a broom cupboard. Her ear
pressed to the door, she announced with a sigh of relief that they must have
got it right this time, she could hear the three of them under the Invisibility
Cloak, going down the steps on their way to Hagrid's hut.
Harry felt weird, disorientated. Part of him wished he was still in 1977, safe
in Severus' arms, but a more practical part was in control as he and Hermione
ran from the castle and eventually succeeded in snatching Buckbeak the
Hippogriff away under the noses of the Ministry officials sent to execute him.
Shortly afterwards, hidden by a clump of trees, they watched a motley
procession disappearing under the roots of the Whomping Willow, their former
selves among them. And then – last of all – Severus Snape.
He was older, of course. But to Harry he was no longer the professor he'd
always hated: he could see the younger Severus in the adult features. As Snape
picked up Harry's Invisibility Cloak from the base of the Whomping Willow and
disappeared underneath it, Harry felt complete again; he realised that he loved
Severus still.
                                     XxXxX
Harry ran towards the lake. In the moonlight he could see Dementors appearing
from every direction, converging on the opposite bank. He felt the familiar
chill as one glided past him. Across the water he saw feeble spurts of silver:
his own unsuccessful attempts to produce a Patronus capable of driving them
away. Then, none of his happy memories had been powerful enough to work. Things
were different now.
He reached the edge of the lake. On the opposite bank a group of Dementors were
clustering round people lying on the ground: he knew one of them must be
himself, and Severus Snape would be nearby, unconscious and vulnerable.
Everything depended on him, Harry. He raised his wand.
Across the lake, one of the Dementors lowered its hood.
Harry concentrated fiercely on a memory which for him was only a night ago,
even though it lay seventeen years in the past. Once again he lay in Severus
Snape's arms, the luminous glow of Giant Squid tentacles rested upon them like
a blessing, his body thrilled to Severus' touch.
His happiness was made complete by the knowledge that somewhere in the castle,
in about half an hour from now, Professor McGonagall would be returning a
certain memory to Severus Snape...


                             "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"


                                     -end-
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